“The Return of the Sorcerer” is an unfinished narrative by Robert E. Howard that delves into themes of betrayal, mysticism, and perilous quests. Set against the exotic backdrop of the Gobi desert and the enigmatic Black Lamasery, the story recounts the harrowing experiences of a Western adventurer entangled in the dangerous intrigues of Eastern mystics.
“Old Garfield’s Heart” was first published in Weird Tales in December of 1933 and is generally labeled as a “Horror Story”. It takes place shortly after the end of the Wild West, but it falls squarely into the “Weird Western” genre. The story is about a frontiersman, Old Garfield, who has lived as long as anyone can remember. The story is told through the eyes of an unnamed narrator who believes the tales told by Old Garfield are nothing more than whims of fancy or tall tales.
Howard wrote one of the first “Weird Western” stories ever created, “The Horror from the Mound,” published in the May 1932 issue of Weird Tales. This genre acted as a bridge between his early “weird” stories (a contemporary term for horror and fantasy) and his later straight western tales.
There is a secret held inside an Indian burial mound, only a few know the secret and they have been sworn to secrecy… until someone became greedy, deciding that there must be treasure hidden in the mound…
In “The Devil’s Joker,” Robert E. Howard weaves a gripping Western tale centered around Steve Allison, also known as The Sonora Kid. The story begins in a bar where Bill Harrigan plays a prank on Steve by using a harmless snake. Unaware of Steve’s intense fear of snakes, the joke takes a dark turn when Steve, in a moment of panic, shoots Bill in the stomach, thinking he’s defending himself from a deadly threat.
This essay delves into the influences that sparked part of Howard’s imagination, with a focus on three influential women who played a significant role in his work in the horror genre of his stories.
Part two of an article written by Rick Lai about the Legend of El Borak.
An article written by Rick Lai about the Legend of El Borak. Best known for his tales of heroic fantasy, Robert E. Howard (1906-36) also wrote contemporary tales of adventure for the pulps. Howard was influenced by Talbot Mundy, a major writer for Adventure in the 1920’s. Mundy’s heroes were American and British adventurers roving around India and the Middle East. Utilizing Mundy’s settings, Howard fashioned his own band of protagonists. Among Howard’s soldiers of fortune, the most famous is Francis Xavier Gordon.
Part five of a five-part article about Robert E. Howard and the Spicy stories. Rescued from the late Two-Gun Raconteur blog created by Damon C. Sasser.
Part two of a five-part article about Robert E. Howard and the Spicy stories. Rescued from the late Two-Gun Raconteur blog created by Damon C. Sasser.
Steve Harrison is the name of the detective that Howard is known for. Brock Rollins is a name that the editors of Strange Detective Stories came up with for volume 5 number 3 (1934) when two Harrison stories were published in the same issue. He operates mainly on River Street and often on the Chinese quarter.
Not your average detective, Steve Harrison is more likely to tear into a fight wth his fists than a gun. More often than not the stories also strays further afield from standard detective fare, adding weird menace and more adventure. Also, few private eyes could boast of a recurring enemy, never mind one as diabolical and evil as Erlik Khan, a descendent of Genghis Khan.
